Tag: work from home

Working at home is great in everyone else’s eyes. They think that you can get up when you want and walk around in your pyjamas doing nothing all day. Of course, that is a myth because working from home is just as stressful as working from the office. Okay, you get some home comforts, but you also have to stop yourself from clocking off all of the time. The key is to create the perfect at-home work environment. Then, you can be productive without the formality of the office. Ah – that sounds like bliss!

Get Out Of Your Pyjamas

Please don’t just sit in front of the TV in your pyjamas with your laptop. That isn’t going to accomplish anything because it promotes the wrong attitude. You want to promote a working culture, and that means you have to start by getting dressed. By all means dress casually because you don’t have anyone to impress. Just make sure you don’t dress too casually. That’s how you end up taking two hours breaks and watching a whole season of Game of Thrones!

Set Deadlines

Because you are the boss, there is no one looking over your shoulder or getting on your back. The great thing about that is the freedom, but that is also a curse. If you slack off too much, you won’t do any work. To stop this from happening, you need to set deadlines throughout the day. When you start, write down everything you need to complete and designate them a time slot. With the help of time tracking software, punctuality will become your middle name.

Be Safe

You are the boss, and it is up to you to ensure your safety while you work. You may not think it is an issue, but it is as much as an issue as health and safety in the office. After all, your home is your workplace, so it needs to adhere to the same rules. Start b
y organizing your workspace so that there is little or no clutter. Clutter is messy and can lead to trips and falls. Also, hire appliance testing services to check that the electricity is safe. Finally, create your health and safety manual. All this will help if there is a problem and the insurance company wants to investigate.

Take Regular Breaks

The problem with working in the office is that you are at the mercy of your company’s policies. But, you are the boss at home. Take advantage of this by going for frequent breaks. Breaks are proven to refresh your mind and your body, making you more productive when you return. All you have to do is schedule them so that they don’t clash with your deadlines. A tip: don’t go overboard. Frequent breaks are essential, but too many will ruin your flow. Stick to two or three a day for a maximum of thirty minutes each.

Working from home is a good experience, but only when you get it right. Hopefully, these tips will help you make a smooth transition.

There’s been a huge growth in the numbers of people working from home, or starting up their own businesses at home. There’s an estimated eight million Britons running an enterprise – be it crafting or providing an online service – from their own properties. It’s a great solution – you use your own heating, don’t pay to commute and you can order your HP ink and claim it back against your tax! What’s not to love?

Well, for a start there’s the friends who think you’ll be able to drop everything to run an errand for them, or the delivery drivers who know you’re usually in to receive a parcel for the neighbour. Then there’s the housework – just a few minutes to put a wash on ends up with you descaling the washing machine, and the kettle, and finally the coffee machine. Then there’s the kids. Let’s stop there and think positive with four ways to work more efficiently…

Have your own space to work

This can be a desk behind a screen, an under-stairs cupboard, or even the shed. As long as your nearest and dearest know that when you’re in The Zone, you’re making things happen and you need to be left alone. Desks are much better than reclining on a sofa with a laptop, covered in crumbs watching Borgia.

Have a defined working day

You need to have definite business and working hours. If you run an online retail operation, you should aim for regular office hours – 8.00am to 5.00pm, for example. If you’re a writer, it’s a bit more flexible, but if people know you write between 10.00am and 2.00pm while the children are at school, then a couple of hours in the evening, you’re less likely to be disturbed.

You should also take a lunch break, as well as another couple of breaks in the morning and afternoon – there’s a reason office workers take a breather, it restores productivity.

Mind your own business

You need a certain amount of networking with other, similar businesspeople, but don’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself with what and how they’re doing. If your aim is to earn extra money to pay the mortgage off quickly, stop wishing you were your associate who has just bought his second boat.

Get organised

Working from home plays tricks with your time management – you sometimes tend to work better when you have fewer free hours than when you’ve got the whole day free. Deadlines can shift and morph, with priorities changing and confusing you. Your to-do list shouldn’t be a simple list – it needs to be filtered by priority and deadline. This doesn’t include moving documents into folders when you’ve got billable work on your plate.

Working from home is a tough nut to crack, especially if the people around you don’t see it as “real” working. However, being self-employed can be liberating and empowering, especially for mums, as they can set their own agenda and hours. The important word is “employed”, though. You are working.